page_title: Al-Qaqa ibn Amr al-Tamimi
section_title: Battle of al-Qādisiyyah
hierarchical_section_title: Al-Qaqa ibn Amr al-Tamimi / Life / Battle of al-Qādisiyyah
context_page_description: Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr ibn Malik al Tamimi was a sahabi of Banu Tamim. He and his tribe converted to Islam possibly during the time of Ahnaf ibn Qais. He is known as a successful Military Commander who took part in two important victorious battles in early Muslim Conquest, the Battle of Yarmouk against the Byzantine Empire and the Battle of al-Qādisiyyah against the Sassanian Empire which was led by Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas. The Caliph Abu Bakr praised him as an equal to eleven thousand men so in return the caliph predecessor, caliph Umar only sent him and a handful bodyguards as reinforcement to Al Qaddisiyah as the first wave as reinforcement. making him one of the most Illustrious military figures in that era.
context_section_description: The Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattāb sent Al-Qa'qa' ibn 'Amr to take part in the battle of Qadisiyya. On 17 November 636, his units reached the battlefield at noon. Before arriving, Qa’qa divided his troops into several smaller groups and instructed them to appear on the battlefield one after the other, giving the impression that large reinforcements were arriving. Qa'qa was busy raising morale and arranging his companions to the place from where he parted from them in previous day. The Persian army's elephants were a serious obstacle for the Muslims. To solve this problem, Qa’qa resorted to an ingenious device. The camels in his army were disguised to look like weird monsters. These "monsters" were moved to the Sassanid front and, upon seeing them, the Sassanid horses turned and fled. With the disorganization of the Sassanid cavalry, the Persian infantry at the left and center became exposed and vulnerable. Saad ordered an all-out attack by the Muslims. After the Persian army was routed Qa’qa ibn Amr went into pursuit and killed the Persian general Bahman, who commanded the Sasanian army at the Battle of the Bridge.
  When the battle resumed on 18 November 636, al-Qa'qa' led a vanguard cavalry of three hundred accompanied by Qays bin Hazim who led the Hashim tribe kinsmen who came from Syria together with local Iraqi tribal warriors. This time they were involved in melee combat against the Sassanid elephant corps. The Muslim cavalry blinded the elephants and severed their trunks with spears and other melee weapons while the Muslim archers struck down the elephant riders. The situation became dire for the Muslims later on that day, despite having already annihilated the elephant corps, because the Sassanids fought even more ferociously, resulting in al-Qa'qa's fellow kinsmen, Khalid bin Yamar al-Tamimi, being killed in the night. Consequently, al-Qa'qa' was tasked with the initiative of reinvigorating the Muslim army.
  At sunrise of 19 November 636, the fighting had ceased, but the battle was still inconclusive. Al-Qa'qa, with the consent of Saad, was now acting as a field commander of the Muslim troops. He is reported to have addressed his men as follows:
   
  "If we fight for an hour or so more, the enemy will be defeated. So, warriors of the Bani Tameem, make one more attempt and victory will be yours."
  The Muslims' left center led by al-Qa’qa' surged forward and attacked the Sassanid right center, followed by the general attack of the Muslim corps. The Sassanids were taken by surprise at the resumption of battle. The Sassanids' left wing and left center were pushed back. Al-Qa’qa' again led a group of Mubarizun against the Sassanids' left center and by noon, he and his men were able to pierce through the Sassanid center.
caption: The Muslims attack the Persian front, al-Qa'qa's men penetrated the right center of the Persian army and killed Rustum
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